Badminton players who have won the most medals at the Summer Olympics

Players at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Players at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Badminton was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and later featured as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

In 1992, Badminton made its debut as a medal sport at the Summer Olympics with singles and doubles events for both men and women. The mixed doubles event was later added at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Let's take a look at the badminton players who have medalled the most at the Summer Olympics.

(Note - Based on overall number of medals won across all badminton disciplines at the Summer Olympics).


Ling Gao - China - 2000, 2004, 2008

(Athlete - Country - Years of Olympic Participation)

Total - 4 (Gold - 2, Silver - 1, Bronze - 1)

Jun Zhang and Ling Gao of China win the gold medal in the mixed doubles badminton event during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games
Jun Zhang and Ling Gao of China win the gold medal in the mixed doubles badminton event during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games

Ling Gao is the most successful shuttler in Olympic history having won four medals, all of which have come in doubles.

Ling Gao won the mixed doubles title at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and defended the title at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

She also won bronze in 2000 and silver in 2004 in the women's doubles event.


Haifeng Fu - China - 2004, 2008, 2012

Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 1, Bronze - 0)

Gold medalists Haifeng Fu and Nan Zhang stand on the podium during the medal ceremony after the Men's Badminton Doubles competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Gold medalists Haifeng Fu and Nan Zhang stand on the podium during the medal ceremony after the Men's Badminton Doubles competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Haifeng Fu has won three Olympic medals - one at each of the three Summer Olympics he has taken part in.

Haifeng Fu and Cai Yun won the silver medal in men's doubles at Beijing in 2008 and won the gold medal in London four years later.

Haifeng Fu then partnered with Zhang Nan to win the men's doubles gold in Rio.


Nan Zhang - China - 2012, 2016

Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 0, Bronze - 1)

Gold medalists Haifeng Fu and Nan Zhang of China stand on the podium during the medal ceremony after the Men's Badminton Doubles competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Gold medalists Haifeng Fu and Nan Zhang of China stand on the podium during the medal ceremony after the Men's Badminton Doubles competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Nan Zhang won his first gold medal at the mixed doubles event in London 2012.

Zhang also picked up a gold medal in men's doubles with Fu Haifeng in Rio 2016 and also won a bronze in the mixed doubles at the Rio Games.


Yunlei Zhao - China - 2012, 2016

Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 0, Bronze - 1)

Bronze medalists, Nan Zhang and Yunlei Zhao of China celebrate after the Mixed Doubles Gold Medal Match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Bronze medalists, Nan Zhang and Yunlei Zhao of China celebrate after the Mixed Doubles Gold Medal Match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Yunlei Zhao is the only shuttler to have won two gold medals at the same edition. She won gold in the mixed doubles and women's doubles events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She also won a mixed doubles bronze at the 2016 Rio Games.


Dong-Moon Kim - Republic of Korea - 1996, 2000, 2004

Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 0, Bronze - 1)

Dong Moon Kim and Tae Kwon Ha, winners of the Gold medal. during the men's doubles badminton medal ceremony at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games
Dong Moon Kim and Tae Kwon Ha, winners of the Gold medal. during the men's doubles badminton medal ceremony at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games

Kim won the mixed doubles with Gil Young-Ah at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the men’s doubles with Ha Tae Kwon at the 2004 Games

He also won bronze in the men's doubles event at the 2000 Summer Olympics.


Young-Ah Gil - Republic of Korea - 1992, 1996

Total - 3 (Gold - 1, Silver - 1, Bronze - 1)

Gil won the women's doubles bronze in 1992 with Shim Eun Jung.

She also won gold in mixed doubles and silver in the women's doubles at the 1996 Atlanta Games.


Chong Wei Lee - Malaysia - 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016

Total - 3 (Gold - 0, Silver - 3, Bronze - 0)

Silver medalist Chong Wei Lee of Malaysia, gold medalist Long Chen of China and bronze medalist Viktor Axelson of Denmark pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men's Singles Badminton at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Silver medalist Chong Wei Lee of Malaysia, gold medalist Long Chen of China and bronze medalist Viktor Axelson of Denmark pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men's Singles Badminton at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Lee is the only shuttler in Olympic history with three back-to-back Olympic silver medals. Lee was beaten in the men's singles final at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

*Inputs from the official Olympics website and the Badminton World Federation website

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Edited by S Chowdhury
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